Timeline: The battle to make BBC publish Middle East coverage report

Wednesday 11 February 2009 12.38 EST
First published on Wednesday 11 February 2009 12.38 EST

8 January 2005 – Steven Sugar submits a request to the BBC under the Freedom of Information Act asking for a copy of the report by Michael Balen regarding the BBC's news coverage of the Middle East and in particular of the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

11 February 2005 – BBC responds to Sugar's request, stating that it is under no obligation to disclose the information. The BBC relies on an exception under the Act which allows it not to disclose information "held for the purpose of journalism, art or literature", claiming that the Balen Report is held for the purpose of journalism.

18 March 2005 – Sugar writes to the Information Commissioner, arguing that the Balen report is not held for the purposes of journalism.

24 October 2005 – The Commissioner rejects Sugar's request, upholding the view that the Balen report is held for the purpose of journalism and so falls outside the BBC's obligations under the Act. The Commissioner also decides that as a result he has no jurisdiction to further consider the issue.

30 December 2005 – Sugar writes to the Information Tribunal to appeal the Information Commissioner's decision.

29 August 2006 – The Tribunal upholds Sugar's request, saying that the Commissioner did have jurisdiction to consider the issue, and that the Balen report did not fall within the "purposes of journalism" exception. The BBC did have to disclose the report.

27 April 2007 – The high court decides that the Tribunal should not have reviewed the case as it did not have jurisdiction. The decision of the BBC and the Information Commissioner stands – the report was held "for the purposes of journalism" and did not have to be disclosed.

25 January 2008 – The court of appeal upholds decision of the high court.

11 February 2009 – The House of Lords overturns court of appeal decision by a 3-2 majority (Lord Phillips, Lord Hope and Lord Neuberger in favour; Lord Hoffman and Baroness Hale against). The original decision of the Tribunal stands and the Balin report should be disclosed. The BBC can still appeal the Tribunal's decision on a point of law at the high court.

• To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediatheguardian.com or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000.

• If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".